Mim capacitor and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

An exemplary MIM capacitor may include a first metal plate, a dielectric layer on the first metal plate, a second metal plate on the dielectric layer, a via layer on the second metal plate, and a third metal plate on the via layer where the second metal plate has a tapered outline with a first side and a second side longer than the first side such that the second side provides a lower resistance path for a current flow.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to metal-insulator-metal (MIM)capacitors and more specifically, but not exclusively, to MIM capacitorswith tapered capacitor plates.

BACKGROUND

Various capacitive structures are used as electronic elements inintegrated circuits such as radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC),and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC). Such capacitivestructures include, for example, metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS)capacitors, p-n junction capacitors and metal-insulator-metal (MIM)capacitors. For some applications, MIM capacitors can provide certainadvantages over MOS and p-n junction capacitors because the frequencycharacteristics of MOS and p-n junction capacitors may be restricted asa result of depletion layers that form in the semiconductor electrodes.A MIM capacitor can exhibit improved frequency and temperaturecharacteristics. Furthermore, MIM capacitors are formed in the metalinterconnect layers, thereby reducing CMOS transistor processintegration interactions or complications.

A MIM capacitor typically includes an insulating layer, such as a PECVDdielectric, disposed between lower and upper electrodes or plates. Toreduce the cost, thinner metal plates are highly desirable. Thin metalplates, however, can cause degraded performance. Namely, the MIMcapacitor quality factor can be degraded due to current crowding withinthe thin metal. Typical square or rectangular MIM capacitors exacerbatethis problem due to the length that the current has to travel throughthe thin metal. For example, in a conventional MIM capacitor with abottom plate (M1), a middle plate (M2) thinner than the bottom plate,and a top plate (M3) thicker than the bottom plate (M1) to ensuredielectric integrity, the bottom plate (M1) surface can become highlyirregular if bottom plate (M1) thickness grows too much, causing MIMbreakdown voltage to be lower and variation to increase. The bottomplate (M1) has much higher resistance than top plate (M3) causing bottomplate (M1) to become and RF Q-factor bottleneck. Thus, there is a needto reduce the effective bottom plate (M1) resistance through process ordesign changes to avoid the MIM capacitor quality factor from beingdegraded due to current crowding within the thin bottom plate (M1).However, these changes are expensive and physically limited.

Accordingly, there is a need for systems, apparatus, and methods thatimprove upon conventional approaches including the improved methods,system and apparatus provided hereby.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary relating to one or moreaspects and/or examples associated with the apparatus and methodsdisclosed herein. As such, the following summary should not beconsidered an extensive overview relating to all contemplated aspectsand/or examples, nor should the following summary be regarded toidentify key or critical elements relating to all contemplated aspectsand/or examples or to delineate the scope associated with any particularaspect and/or example. Accordingly, the following summary has the solepurpose to present certain concepts relating to one or more aspectsand/or examples relating to the apparatus and methods disclosed hereinin a simplified form to precede the detailed description presentedbelow.

In one aspect, a metal-insulator-metal capacitor includes: a first metalplate; a first dielectric layer on the first metal plate; a second metalplate on the first dielectric layer, the second metal plate with atapered outline between a first side and a second side opposite thefirst side, and the second side being longer than the first side; and athird metal plate on the second metal plate.

In another aspect, a metal-insulator-metal capacitor structure includes:a first capacitor with a tapered outline between a first side and asecond side, the second side being longer than the first side; and asecond capacitor with a tapered outline between a third side and afourth side, the third side being longer than the fourth side andproximate to and spaced from the second side, and the second capacitorconfigured in series with the first capacitor.

In still another aspect, a method for forming a MIM capacitor includes:forming a first metal plate on a substrate; forming a first dielectriclayer on the first metal plate; forming a second dielectric layer on thefirst metal plate; forming a second metal plate on the first dielectriclayer; forming a fourth metal plate on the second dielectric layer;forming a third metal plate on the second metal plate; and forming afifth metal plate on the fourth metal plate.

Other features and advantages associated with the apparatus and methodsdisclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art based onthe accompanying drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of aspects of the disclosure and many ofthe attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich are presented solely for illustration and not limitation of thedisclosure, and in which:

FIGS. 1A and B illustrate a side view and a top view of a MIM capacitorin accordance with some examples of the disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-D illustrate various configurations of tapered plates for a MIMcapacitor in accordance with some examples of the disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-E illustrate a partial process flow for manufacturing a MIMcapacitor in accordance with some examples of the disclosure.

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate side views of various single and seriesconfigurations of a MIM capacitor in accordance with some examples ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary user equipment (UE) in accordance with someexamples of the disclosure.

In accordance with common practice, the features depicted by thedrawings may not be drawn to scale. Accordingly, the dimensions of thedepicted features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Inaccordance with common practice, some of the drawings are simplified forclarity. Thus, the drawings may not depict all components of aparticular apparatus or method. Further, like reference numerals denotelike features throughout the specification and figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems disclosed hereinadvantageously address the industry needs, as well as other previouslyunidentified needs, and mitigate shortcomings of the conventionalmethods, apparatus, and systems. For example, a tapered MIM capacitormay include tapered metal plates or electrodes configured such that mostof the current travels a shorter length through the thin MIM metal. Thisreduces losses and increases the capacitor quality factor.

FIGS. 1A and B illustrate a side view and a top view of a MIM capacitorin accordance with some examples of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1A,a MIM capacitor 100 may include a first capacitor 102, a secondcapacitor 104, a third capacitor 106, and a fourth capacitor 108connected in series. Use of capacitors in series allows an increase involtage handling capabilities of the MIM capacitor 100. While fourcapacitors are shown, it should be understood that more or lesscapacitors may be included in multiples of two (see, for example, FIGS.2-5 below). Each of the capacitors 102-108 may have a similarconfiguration with the exception of the top most metal plate between thesecond capacitor 104 and the third capacitor 106.

For example, the first capacitor 102 may include a first metal plate110, a first dielectric layer 112 on the first metal plate 110, a secondmetal plate 114 on the first dielectric layer 112, a first via layer 116on the second metal plate 114, and a third metal plate 118 on the firstvia layer 116. The second capacitor 104 may include the first metalplate 110, a second dielectric layer 120 on the first metal plate 110, afourth metal plate 122 on the second dielectric layer 120, a second vialayer 124 on the fourth metal plate 122, and a fifth metal plate 126 onthe second via layer 124. The third capacitor 106 may include the sixthmetal plate 128, a third dielectric layer 130 on the sixth metal plate128, a seventh metal plate 132 on the third dielectric layer 130, athird via layer 134 on the seventh metal plate 132, and the fifth metalplate 126 on the third via layer 134. The fourth capacitor 108 mayinclude a sixth metal plate 128, a fourth dielectric layer 136 on thesixth metal plate 128, an eighth metal plate 138 on the fourthdielectric layer 136, a fourth via layer 140 on the eighth metal plate138, and a ninth metal plate 142 on the fourth via layer 140. Thevarious metal plates may be composed of electrically conductive metal ormetal alloys and the dielectric layers may be composed of dielectricmaterials, such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxy-nitride,or tantalum oxide. The third metal plate 118, the fifth metal plate 126,and the ninth metal plate 142 may be passive devices, such as inductors,transformers, or resistors.

As will be shown and discussed below: the second metal plate 114 mayhave a tapered outline (e.g. trapezoidal or curved trapezoidal shapefrom a top down view) that includes a first side 144 and a second side146 configured such that second side 146 is longer than the first side144; the fourth metal plate 122 may have a tapered outline (e.g.trapezoidal or curved trapezoidal shape from a top down view) thatincludes a third side 148 and a fourth side 150 configured such thatthird side 148 is longer than the fourth side 150; the seventh metalplate 132 may have a tapered outline (e.g. trapezoidal or curvedtrapezoidal shape from a top down view) that includes a fifth side 152and a sixth side 154 configured such that sixth side 154 is longer thanthe fifth side 152; and the eighth metal plate 138 may have a taperedoutline (e.g. trapezoidal or curved trapezoidal shape from a top downview) that includes a seventh side 156 and an eighth side 158 configuredsuch that seventh side 156 is longer than the eighth side 158. Thelonger sides provides a lower resistance path for the current flowthrough the metal plate that results in the majority of the current flowflowing along the longer side due to the skin effect phenomenon (skineffect is a tendency for alternating current to flow mostly near theouter surface of an electrical conductor, such as a metal plate, andbecomes more and more apparent as the frequency increases).

For example, in operation the current flow 160 for the MIM capacitor 100may travel from an input port 162 through the third metal plate 118along the second side 146 to the first metal plate 110. Then, from thefirst metal plate 110 along the third side 148 to the fifth metal plate126. Then, from the fifth metal plate 126 along the sixth side 154 tothe sixth metal plate 128. Then, from the sixth metal plate 128 alongthe seventh side 156 to the ninth metal plate 142 and then to an outputport 164.

FIG. 1B shows a configuration of the MIM capacitor 100 with all metalplates having a tapered outline. As shown in FIG. 1B, the MIM capacitor100 may include may include the first capacitor 102, the secondcapacitor 104, the third capacitor 106, and the fourth capacitor 108connected in series with each metal plate of the first capacitor 102,the second capacitor 104, the third capacitor 106, and the fourthcapacitor 108 having a tapered outline. As shown, the orientation of thetapered outline is the same for the first capacitor 102 and the thirdcapacitor 106 while orientation of the second capacitor 104 and thefourth capacitor 108 is reversed with respect to the first capacitor 102and the third capacitor 106. By having tapered outlines for all themetal plates in the MIM capacitor 100, the resistance for the currentflow 160 shown in FIG. 1A is lower than only a portion of the metalplates having a tapered outline and, correspondingly, the quality factorof the MIM capacitor 100 is increased as well. Alternatively, the toptwo metal plates in each capacitor (e.g. the second metal plate 114 andthe third metal plate 118) may have the tapered outline and the bottommost plate (e.g. the first metal plate 110) may be square. In such aconfiguration, the lower resistance and higher quality factor will besimilar in that the skin effect does not impact the first metal plate110 or the sixth metal plate 128.

FIGS. 2A-D illustrate various configurations of tapered plates for a MIMcapacitor in accordance with some examples of the disclosure. As shownin FIG. 2A, a MIM capacitor 200 may include a first capacitor 202 inseries with a second capacitor 204. The first capacitor 202 may includea first metal plate 210 with a tapered outline, a second metal plate 214with a tapered outline above the first metal plate 210, and a thirdmetal plate 218 with a rectangular outline above the second metal plate214. The second capacitor 204 may include the first metal plate 210 witha tapered outline, a fourth metal plate 222 with a tapered outline abovethe first metal plate 210, and a fifth metal plate 226 with arectangular outline above the fourth metal plate 222.

FIG. 2B shows an alternative configuration. As shown in FIG. 2B, a MIMcapacitor 200 may include a first capacitor 202 in series with a secondcapacitor 204. The first capacitor 202 may include a first metal plate210 with a curved tapered outline, a second metal plate 214 with acurved tapered outline above the first metal plate 210, and a thirdmetal plate 218 with a rectangular outline above the second metal plate214. The second capacitor 204 may include the first metal plate 210 witha curved tapered outline, a fourth metal plate 222 with a curved taperedoutline above the first metal plate 210, and a fifth metal plate 226with a rectangular outline above the fourth metal plate 222.

FIG. 2C shows another alternative configuration. As shown in FIG. 2C, aMIM capacitor 200 may include a first capacitor 202 in series with asecond capacitor 204, a third capacitor 206, and a fourth capacitor 208.The first capacitor 202 and the second capacitor 204 may be similar tothat described with respect to FIG. 2A while the third capacitor 206 andthe fourth capacitor 208 may be similar to the first capacitor 202 andthe second capacitor 204, respectively.

FIG. 2D shows still another alternative configuration. As shown in FIG.2D, a MIM capacitor 200 may include a first capacitor 202 in series witha second capacitor 204, a third capacitor 206, and a fourth capacitor208. The first capacitor 202 and the second capacitor 204 may be similarto that described with respect to FIG. 2B while the third capacitor 206and the fourth capacitor 208 may be similar to the first capacitor 202and the second capacitor 204, respectively. The symmetricalconfigurations shown in FIGS. 2A-D allow the use of the same process formanufacturing each capacitor and cancel second order harmonics in theMIM capacitor 200.

FIGS. 3A-E illustrate a partial process flow for manufacturing a MIMcapacitor in accordance with some examples of the disclosure. As shownin FIG. 3A, the partial process for manufacturing a MIM capacitor 300begins with providing a substrate 301 and forming a first metal plate310 (e.g. the first metal plate 110 and the first metal plate 210), suchas by depositing and patterning suitable material on the substrate 301.The process continues in FIG. 3B with formation of a first dielectriclayer 312 (e.g. the a first dielectric layer 112) and a seconddielectric layer 320 (e.g. the second dielectric layer 120) on the firstmetal plate 310 followed by and formation of a second metal plate 314(e.g. the second metal plate 114 and the second metal plate 214) on thefirst dielectric layer 312 and a fourth metal plate 322 (e.g., thefourth metal plate 122 and the fourth metal plate 222) on the seconddielectric layer 320, such as by depositing and patterning suitablematerial. The process continues in FIG. 3C with formation of aninterlayer dielectric 311 on exposed portions of the first metal plate310 and the substrate 301, such as by depositing and patterning suitablematerial. The process continues in FIG. 3D with formation of a thirdmetal plate 318 (e.g. the third metal plate 118 and the third metalplate 218) on the second metal plate 314 and a fifth metal plate 326(e.g. the fifth metal plate 126 and the fifth metal plate 226) on thefourth metal plate 322, such as by depositing and patterning suitablematerial. The partial process concludes in FIG. 3E with the formation ofa passivation layer 327 on the third metal plate 318, the interlayerdielectric 311, and the fifth metal plate 326, such as by depositing andpatterning suitable material. The first metal plate may have a thicknessof approximately 2-3 μm, the second metal plate 314 and the fourth metalplate 322 each may have a thickness of approximately 1 μm, and the thirdmetal plate 318 and the fifth metal plate 326 each may have a thicknessof approximately 10-20 μm. While only two capacitors are shown in FIGS.3A-E, it should be understood that more than two capacitors may beformed using the partial process described above.

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate side views of various single and seriesconfigurations of a MIM capacitor in accordance with some examples ofthe disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4A, a MIM capacitor 400 with a singlecapacitor may include a first metal plate 410 on the substrate 401, afirst dielectric layer 412 on the first metal plate 410, a second metalplate 414 on the first dielectric layer 412, an interlayer dielectric411 on portions of the first metal plate 410 and the substrate 301, athird metal plate 418 on the second metal plate 414, a passivation layer427 on the third metal plate 418 and the interlayer dielectric 411, ainput port 462 coupled to the third metal plate 418, and an output port464 coupled to the first metal plate 410. As shown in FIG. 4B, a MIMcapacitor 400 with a single capacitor may include the same components asshown in FIG. 4A with a fifth metal plate 426 on the first metal plate410 and the output port 464 coupled to the fifth metal plate 426 insteadof the first metal plate 410. As shown in FIG. 4C, a MIM capacitor 400with a first capacitor 402, a second capacitor 404, a third capacitor406, and a fourth capacitor 408 in series, and an input port 462 coupledto a third metal plate 418 of the first capacitor 402 along with anoutput port 464 coupled to a ninth metal plate 442 of the fourthcapacitor 408 connected in series similar to that shown in FIG. 1A.

MIM capacitor devices according to the examples above (e.g. any of MIMcapacitor 100, MIM capacitor 200, MIM capacitor 300, and MIM capacitor400) can be used for a number of different applications, such as in thecircuit components of a mobile device. Referring to FIG. 5 as anexample, an UE 500, (here a wireless device), which has a platform 502that can receive and execute software applications, data and/or commandstransmitted from a radio access network (RAN) that may ultimately comefrom a core network, the Internet and/or other remote servers andnetworks. Platform 502 can include transceiver 506 operably coupled toan application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC” 508), or otherprocessor, microprocessor, logic circuit, or other data processingdevice. ASIC 508 or other processor executes the application programminginterface (“API”) 510 layer that interfaces with any resident programsin memory 512 of the wireless device. Memory 512 can be comprised ofread-only or random-access memory (RAM and ROM), EEPROM, flash cards, orany memory common to computer platforms. Platform 502 also can includelocal database 514 that can hold applications not actively used inmemory 512. Local database 514 is typically a flash memory cell, but canbe any secondary storage device as known in the art, such as magneticmedia, EEPROM, optical media, tape, soft or hard disk, or the like.Internal platform 502 components can also be operably coupled toexternal devices such as antenna 522, display 524, push-to-talk button528 and keypad 526 among other components, as is known in the art.

The wireless communication between UE 500 and the RAN can be based ondifferent technologies, such as code division multiple access (CDMA),W-CDMA, time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency divisionmultiple access (FDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing(OFDM), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 3GPP Long TermEvolution (LTE) or other protocols that may be used in a wirelesscommunications network or a data communications network.

In this description, certain terminology is used to describe certainfeatures. The term “mobile device” can describe, and is not limited to,a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigationdevice, a communications device, a mobile device, a mobile phone, asmartphone, a personal digital assistant, a fixed location terminal, atablet computer, a computer, a wearable device, a laptop computer, aserver, an automotive device in an automotive vehicle, and/or othertypes of portable electronic devices typically carried by a personand/or having communication capabilities (e.g., wireless, cellular,infrared, short-range radio, etc.). Further, the terms “user equipment”(UE), “mobile terminal,” “mobile device,” and “wireless device,” can beinterchangeable.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any details described herein as “exemplary”is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous overother examples. Likewise, the term “examples” does not require that allexamples include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.Use of the terms “in one example,” “an example,” “in one feature,”and/or “a feature” in this specification does not necessarily refer tothe same feature and/or example. Furthermore, a particular featureand/or structure can be combined with one or more other features and/orstructures. Moreover, at least a portion of the apparatus describedhereby can be configured to perform at least a portion of a methoddescribed hereby.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularexamples only and is not intended to be limiting of examples of thedisclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises”, “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when usedherein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, actions,operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, integers, actions,operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

It should be noted that the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variantthereof, mean any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect,between elements, and can encompass a presence of an intermediateelement between two elements that are “connected” or “coupled” togethervia the intermediate element.

Any reference herein to an element using a designation such as “first,”“second,” and so forth does not limit the quantity and/or order of thoseelements. Rather, these designations are used as a convenient method ofdistinguishing between two or more elements and/or instances of anelement. Thus, a reference to first and second elements does not meanthat only two elements can be employed, or that the first element mustnecessarily precede the second element. Also, unless stated otherwise, aset of elements can comprise one or more elements.

Nothing stated or illustrated depicted in this application is intendedto dedicate any component, action, feature, benefit, advantage, orequivalent to the public, regardless of whether the component, action,feature, benefit, advantage, or the equivalent is recited in the claims.

Although some aspects have been described in connection with a device,it goes without saying that these aspects also constitute a descriptionof the corresponding method, and so a block or a component of a deviceshould also be understood as a corresponding method action or as afeature of a method action. Analogously thereto, aspects described inconnection with or as a method action also constitute a description of acorresponding block or detail or feature of a corresponding device.

In the detailed description above it can be seen that different featuresare grouped together in examples. This manner of disclosure should notbe understood as an intention that the claimed examples require morefeatures than are explicitly mentioned in the respective claim. Rather,the situation is such that inventive content may reside in fewer thanall features of an individual example disclosed. Therefore, thefollowing claims should hereby be deemed to be incorporated in thedescription, wherein each claim by itself can stand as a separateexample. Although each claim by itself can stand as a separate example,it should be noted that—although a dependent claim can refer in theclaims to a specific combination with one or a plurality of claims—otherexamples can also encompass or include a combination of said dependentclaim with the subject matter of any other dependent claim or acombination of any feature with other dependent and independent claims.Such combinations are proposed herein, unless it is explicitly expressedthat a specific combination is not intended. Furthermore, it is alsointended that features of a claim can be included in any otherindependent claim, even if said claim is not directly dependent on theindependent claim.

It should furthermore be noted that methods disclosed in the descriptionor in the claims can be implemented by a device comprising means forperforming the respective actions of this method.

While the foregoing disclosure shows illustrative examples of thedisclosure, it should be noted that various changes and modificationscould be made herein without departing from the scope of the disclosureas defined by the appended claims. The functions and/or actions of themethod claims in accordance with the examples of the disclosuredescribed herein need not be performed in any particular order.Additionally, well-known elements will not be described in detail or maybe omitted so as to not obscure the relevant details of the aspects andexamples disclosed herein. Furthermore, although elements of thedisclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural iscontemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A metal-insulator-metal capacitor comprising: afirst metal plate; a first dielectric layer on the first metal plate; asecond metal plate on the first dielectric layer, the second metal platewith a tapered outline between a first side and a second side oppositethe first side, and the second side being longer than the first side;and a third metal plate on the second metal plate.
 2. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, wherein the second metalplate has a trapezoidal outline.
 3. The metal-insulator-metal capacitorof claim 1, wherein the first metal plate and the second metal platehave a trapezoidal outline.
 4. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor ofclaim 1, wherein the second metal plate has a curved trapezoidaloutline.
 5. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, wherein thefirst metal plate and the second metal plate have a curved trapezoidaloutline.
 6. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, wherein thefirst metal plate, the second metal plate, and the first dielectriclayer form a capacitor, and the third metal plate comprises a passivedevice.
 7. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, wherein thefirst metal plate has a thickness of approximately 2-3 μm, the secondmetal plate has a thickness of approximately 1 μm, and the third metalplate has a thickness of approximately 10-20 μm.
 8. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, wherein themetal-insulator-metal capacitor is incorporated into a device selectedfrom a group comprising of a music player, a video player, anentertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, amobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digitalassistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, awearable device, a laptop computer, a server, and an automotive devicein an automotive vehicle, and further includes the device.
 9. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, further comprising: an inputport configured for a first external connection and coupled to the thirdmetal plate; and an output port configured for a second externalconnection and coupled to first metal plate.
 10. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, further comprising: a fifthmetal plate on the first metal plate proximate to and spaced from thethird metal plate; an input port configured for a first externalconnection and coupled to the third metal plate; and an output portconfigured for a second external connection and coupled to fifth metalplate.
 11. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 1, furthercomprising: a second dielectric layer on the first metal plate proximateto and spaced from the first dielectric layer; a fourth metal plate onthe second dielectric layer, the fourth metal plate with a taperedoutline between a third side and a fourth side opposite the first side,and the third side being longer than the fourth side; and a fifth metalplate on the fourth metal plate.
 12. The metal-insulator-metal capacitorof claim 11, wherein the second metal plate and the fourth metal platehave a trapezoidal outline.
 13. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor ofclaim 11, wherein the first metal plate, the second metal plate, and thefourth metal plate have a trapezoidal outline.
 14. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 11, wherein the second metalplate and the fourth metal plate have a curved trapezoidal outline. 15.The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 11, wherein the first metalplate, the second metal plate, and the fourth metal plate have a curvedtrapezoidal outline.
 16. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim11, wherein the first metal plate, the second metal plate, and the firstdielectric layer form a first capacitor; the third metal plate comprisesa passive device; the first metal plate, the fourth metal plate, and thesecond dielectric layer form a second capacitor; and the fifth metalplate comprises a passive device.
 17. The metal-insulator-metalcapacitor of claim 11, wherein the first metal plate has a thickness ofapproximately 2-3 μm, the second metal plate and the fourth metal plateeach have a thickness of approximately 1 μm, and the third metal plateand the fifth metal plate each have a thickness of approximately 10-20μm.
 18. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 11, wherein themetal-insulator-metal capacitor is incorporated into a device selectedfrom a group comprising of a music player, a video player, anentertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, amobile device, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digitalassistant, a fixed location terminal, a tablet computer, a computer, awearable device, a laptop computer, a server, and an automotive devicein an automotive vehicle, and further includes the device.
 19. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 11, further comprising: aninput port configured for a first external connection and coupled to thethird metal plate; and an output port configured for a second externalconnection and coupled to fifth metal plate.
 20. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 11, further comprising: a sixthmetal plate; a third dielectric layer on the sixth metal plate; aseventh metal plate on the third dielectric layer, the seventh metalplate with a tapered outline between a fifth side and a sixth sideopposite the fifth side, and the sixth side being longer than the fifthside and the fifth metal plate extending on to the seventh metal plate;a fourth dielectric layer on the sixth metal plate; an eighth metalplate on the fourth dielectric layer, the eighth metal plate with atapered outline between a seventh side and an eighth side opposite theseventh side, and the seventh side being longer than the eighth side;and a ninth metal plate on the eighth plate.
 21. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 20, wherein the second metalplate, the fourth metal plate, the seventh metal plate, and the eighthmetal plate have a trapezoidal outline.
 22. The metal-insulator-metalcapacitor of claim 20, wherein the first metal plate, the second metalplate, the fourth metal plate, the sixth metal plate, the seventh metalplate, and the eighth metal plate have a trapezoidal outline.
 23. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 20, wherein the second metalplate, the fourth metal plate, the seventh metal plate, and the eighthmetal plate have a curved trapezoidal outline.
 24. Themetal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 20, wherein the first metalplate, the second metal plate, the fourth metal plate, the sixth metalplate, the seventh metal plate, and the eighth metal plate have a curvedtrapezoidal outline.
 25. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim20, wherein the first metal plate, the second metal plate, and the firstdielectric layer form a first capacitor; the third metal plate comprisesa passive device; the first metal plate, the fourth metal plate, and thesecond dielectric layer form a second capacitor; the fifth metal platecomprises a passive device; the sixth metal plate, the third dielectriclayer, and the seventh metal plate form a third capacitor; the sixthmetal plate, the fourth dielectric layer, and the eighth metal plateform a fourth capacitor; and the ninth metal plate comprises a passivedevice.
 26. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor of claim 20, furthercomprising: an input port configured for a first external connection andcoupled to the third metal plate; and an output port configured for asecond external connection and coupled to the ninth metal plate.
 27. Ametal-insulator-metal capacitor structure comprising: a first capacitorwith a tapered outline between a first side and a second side, thesecond side being longer than the first side; and a second capacitorwith a tapered outline between a third side and a fourth side, the thirdside being longer than the fourth side and proximate to and spaced fromthe second side, and the second capacitor configured in series with thefirst capacitor.
 28. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor structure ofclaim 7, further comprising: a third capacitor with a tapered outlinebetween a fifth side and a sixth side, the sixth side being longer thanthe fifth side; a fourth capacitor with a tapered outline between aseventh side and a eighth side, the seventh side being longer than theeighth side and proximate to and spaced from the sixth side; and thefirst capacitor, the second capacitor, the third capacitor, and thefourth capacitor configured in series.
 29. A method for forming a MIMcapacitor, the method comprising: forming a first metal plate on asubstrate; forming a first dielectric layer on the first metal plate;forming a second dielectric layer on the first metal plate; forming asecond metal plate on the first dielectric layer; forming a fourth metalplate on the second dielectric layer; forming a third metal plate on thesecond metal plate; and forming a fifth metal plate on the fourth metalplate.
 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising: forming aninterlayer dielectric on a portion of the first metal plate and thesubstrate; and forming a passivation layer on the third metal plate, theinterlayer dielectric, and the fifth metal plate.